Argyranthemum frutescens plant named &#39;Argypifri&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum frustescens  plant named ‘Argypifri’ characterized by its horizontal growing habit, pink, white flower heads with frizzled flower shape, and good flowering performance under hot conditions.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Argyranthemum frutescens

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Argypifri’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMarguerite Daisy plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescensand hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Argypifri.’

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The new cultivar ‘Agrypifri’is a new, horizontal growing Argyranthemums with early freely floweringhabit with special flower forms.

The new Argyranthemum originated from an open-pollination conducted inEnkhuizen, The Netherlands in 2002 of a proprietary selection ofArgyranthemum frutescens identified as code number ‘D0269-1,’ notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection ofArgyranthemum frutescens as the male, or pollen, parent.

The cultivar ‘Argypifri’ was discovered and selected as a single plantwithin the progeny of the stated open pollination in a controlledenvironment in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands in August 2003. Asexualreproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands since August 2003,has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Argyranthemum has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Argypifri’ and distinguish tonew Argyranthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Horizontal growing character

2. Freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and bushy planthabit.

3. Early flowering habit

4. Freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant.

5. Frizzled flower shape TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR‘ARGYPIFRI ’ AND TWO SIMILAR CULTIVARS ‘Summer Stars Pink’ ‘Daisy Crazy(U.S. Plant Patent Blazer Rose’ ‘Argypifri’ No 11,939) (Not patented)Plant height 25 cm 35 cm 35 cm Plant width 45 cm 40 cm 60 cm Flowerdiameter 3.5-4 cm 3.5-4 cm 2.5 cm Foliage color 137B 137C 146A Flowercolor 75A 72D 67A

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance ofthe new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Argyranthemum.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The aforementioned photographs, following detailed observations andaveraged measurements 5 describe plants of this new Marguerite Daisyplant. The data were collected from plants from asexual reproductionscarried out in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The plant history was takenon 28 week old plants, grown in the open field in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands with day temperatures ranging from 16 to 35 degrees C., andnight temperatures ranging from 10 to 20 degrees C.

Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, 1995 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

THE PLANT

-   Classification — botanical: Argyranthemum frutescens cv. ‘Argypifri’-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary seedling section of Argyranthemum            frutescens, identified as number ‘D0269-1’ (not patented).            Breeder's code of the new plant is ‘G0132-4.’        -   Male parent.—Unidentified section of Argyranthemum            frutescens (not patented).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cuttings.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to intiated roots.—7-10 days at air temperature of 21            degrees C.        -   Time to develop roots.—7-14 days at air temperature of 18            degrees C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, relatively fine, white in color.        -   Rooting description.—Freely branching, dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright and rounded shape.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous compact.        -   Speading area of plant.—About 45 cm.        -   Strength.—Very good.        -   Branching character.—Freely branching, plants do not require            pinching.        -   Crop time.—About 9 weeks are required to produce a finished            flowering plant in a 10.5 cm container from a good developed            cutting.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—18 cm.        -   Diameter.—4 mm.        -   Shape.—Round, bit grooved.        -   Anthocyanin pigmentation.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Length of internode.—1-3 cm.        -   Pubescence.—Absent.        -   Color.—144A.-   The foilage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Shape of leaf.—Bipinnatisect.        -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Leaf base.—Attenuate, clasping.        -   Margin.—Deeply dissected, laciniate.        -   Texture.—Thick glabrous smooth.        -   Length.—5-7cm.        -   Width.—2-3.5 cm.        -   Depth of incision.—Lanciniate.        -   Color.—Upper side: 137A Lower side: 137C Old leaf: 137A.        -   Pubescence.—Absent.        -   Petiole.— Length: About 2-2.5 cm Diameter: About 2 mm            Texture: Smooth, glabrous Color: 137B.        -   Venation.—Shape Pinnate Color: 137A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescences with ligulate ray            florets. Disc and ray florets develop acropetally on a            capitulum. Inflorescences held upright and outwardly on            terminal and axillary peduncles. Inflorescences positioned            perpendicular to the peduncles. Inflorescences persistent.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower            from spring to early Fall in N-W Europe; plants flower            continuous during this period.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about ten days            on the plant.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about 500 open            inflorescences and inflorescence buds per plant.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Peduncle.—Length: 7-10 cm Diameter: 1.5 mm Strength: Strong            Aspect: Upright to slightly outward Texture: Smooth,            glabrous Color: 137C.        -   Inflorescence bud.— Height: 5 mm Diameter: 7 mm Shape: Ovoid            Color: 199A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Size.— Diameter: 3.5-4 cm Depth: About 6 mm.        -   Diameter of disc.—About 0.4-1 cm.        -   Form.—Semi double flowered.        -   Receptacle.—Height: About 4 mm Diameter: About 10 mm.        -   Involucre/phyllaries.—3 series of 5 bracts, tightly to            receptacle Appearance: Margins, papery and membranous Shape:            Elliptic Apex: Broad Base: Truncate Texture: Smooth glabrous            Margin: Entire Length: 2 mm Width: 1mm Color: Upper: N144C,            Lower: 139B.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Shape of ray florets.—Ligulate.        -   Apex.—Emarginate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Upper surface: 75A Lower surface: 75B.        -   No. of ray florets per inflorescene.—20-30 arranged in many            whorls which give a frizlled look.        -   Size.—Length 0.5-1.4 cm Width: 0.2-0.4 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; longitudinally ridged..-   Disc florets:    -   -   Arrangement.—Massed at the center of the inflorescence.        -   Shape of disc florets.—Tubular, elongated, five-pointed;            base, fused.        -   Color.—Immature: 14B Mature: 14B.        -   Diameter of disc floret.— Apex: 1 mm Base: <1 mm.        -   Length of disc floret.—4 mm.        -   Quantity per inflorescence.—Numerous, ±40.        -   Androecium.—Present only on disc florets.        -   Stamen quantity per floret.—Five.        -   Anther length.—About 1 mm.        -   Anther shape.—Oval.        -   Anther color.—Yellow 21A.        -   Pollen color.—Yellow 21 A.        -   Amount of pollen.—Only in disc florets, scarce pollen.        -   Gynoecium.—Present on ray and disc florets.        -   Pistil number.—One per floret.        -   Pistil length.—±3 mm.        -   Style color.—Yellow green 144D.        -   Style length.—±1 mm.        -   Stigma color.—Yellow orange 14A.        -   Stigma shape.—Bilobed.        -   Ovary color.—144C.-   Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production is not observed.-   Distance resistance: No susceptibility nor resistance to fungal,    bacterial or viral pathogens has been noted. Material is free of    virus and Chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd).-   Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Argyanthemum have    been observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures from    0C. to 36° C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Argyranthemum frutescens plant, named‘Argypifri,’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.